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Peyton
I feltXander before I saw him.
But I knew he wasn’t here for me. Why would he be?
“Sorry,” I said, lifting my eyes to his, “I’ll just go.” Averting my gaze, I went to slip around him, but he snagged my wrist, sending tiny shocks rippling through me.
“Stay.”
Our eyes collided, and the air was sucked clean from my lungs.
“You were right,” he said, so quietly I barely heard him. “I get it.”
His words shouldn’t have affected me as much as they did, but the relief was instant. Like a heavy weight lifted off my shoulders.
“Is that why you’re hiding out here?” My eyes narrowed.
Xander expelled a heavy sigh, running a hand over his jaw. It was dusted with stubble, but it suited him. I’d never kissed a guy with facial hair before, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like.
“It’s hard pretending all the time.” His eyes dipped to my mouth and back up, and I wanted so badly to know what he was thinking. “What’s your excuse?” The corner of his mouth tipped up.
“I just needed some air.”
“I didn’t even see you slip outside.”
“I used the front door and went around the back gate.”
“Stealthy.”
“Less questions.” I shrugged. “You want to sit?” My hand dropped to the space beside me on the bench. It was an old rickety thing but sturdy enough.
“I need a smoke.” Xander was already digging out his packet.
“I don’t mind.”
His brows knitted as he studied me. “You sure?”
“Yeah, my mom smoked.” I didn’t tack on that it was rarely straight tobacco.
“My mom always hated it.” Xander sat down and I couldn’t help but notice how he perched right on the end of the bench, keeping a respectable distance between us, unlike last night. “Or at least, that’s what Cameron used to tell me. He told me this story once, about how Dad came home one night stinking of cigars and she made him sleep in the basement for two nights straight until he managed to completely wash the smell off him.”
I watched as he placed the smoke between his lips and ignited the end. I didn’t particularly like the smell, but I didn’t hate it either, and there was no denying there was something sexy about the way he caressed it with his mouth.
“Peyton?” Xander’s voice pulled me from my thoughts, and my cheeks burned.
“I… uh, I’ve never tried it. I’ve gotten high a couple of times, but I didn’t like it.”
“Don’t ever let Jase hear you say that. If he thought you were corrupting Poppy and Lily—”
“Have you met Lily? She would never do that. I’m not so sure about Poppy though.” I chuckled.
“Yeah, she has that glint in her eye. Something tells me Jase will have his hands full with her over the next couple of years.”
“She’s too busy crushing on Aaron to get into too much trouble yet.”
“You noticed that, huh?”
“She thinks she’s discreet, but she isn’t fooling anyone. Everyone except Aaron can see the way she looks at him.”
